U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw earned a wave of blistering backlash after he came to the defense of GOP colleague Liz Cheney after she voiced her support for impeaching President Donald Trump.
The Texas Republican, longtime staunch Trump ally, raised eyebrows and ire on Wednesday when he clapped back at those demanding Cheney resign from her leadership position as the chair of the House Republican Conference. Crenshaw defended the Wyoming congresswoman and was essentially destroyed on social media.
Crenshaw’s tweet backing Cheney came after she reportedly fired back at critics calling for her resignation.
House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Biggs had called for Cheney to step down because she was not representing “Republican ideals” and the GOP conference. Others strongly agreed with the Arizona Republican and demanded the third-ranking GOP House member step down after she blamed Trump for the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol last week.
“The President of the United States summoned this mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not,” Cheney said in a statement Tuesday. “I will vote to impeach the President.”
The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney then told a Politico reporter, when asked about the clamoring for her resignation, that she was “not going anywhere.”
“This is a vote of conscience. It’s one where there are different views in our conference. But our nation is facing an unprecedented, since the civil war, a constitutional crisis. That’s what we need to be focused on. That’s where our efforts and attention need to be,” she said.
Crenshaw appeared to commit political suicide as he stuck out his neck to defend Cheney, who joined nine other Republicans and voted to impeach the president on Wednesday.
“Let’s get some truth on the record: @Liz_Cheney has a hell of a lot more backbone than most, & is a principled leader with a fierce intellect,” he tweeted Wednesday.
“She will continue to be a much needed leader in the conference, with my full support. We can disagree without tearing eachother apart,” the former Navy SEAL added.
Let’s get some truth on the record: @Liz_Cheney has a hell of a lot more backbone than most, & is a principled leader with a fierce intellect. She will continue to be a much needed leader in the conference, with my full support.
We can disagree without tearing eachother apart. https://t.co/yMLary1kLj
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 13, 2021
His Republican colleague Rep. Matt Gaetz begged to differ.
“With all due respect to Rep. Crenshaw, this is a minority view within the minority party,” the Florida lawmaker noted.
With all due respect to Rep. Crenshaw, this is a minority view within the minority party. https://t.co/Q0kVVhlH4m
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) January 13, 2021
Crenshaw voted against the second impeachment of the president though he still claimed Trump “bears enormous responsibility” for the actions of others. The Texas lawmaker voted by proxy on Wednesday though last year, he slammed proxy voting as “cowardly.”
We should not ignore the President’s behavior leading up to the violence in the Capitol on Jan 6. He bears enormous responsibility for it. But impeachment is not the answer. We all need to deescalate, lower the temperature, and move forward together as a country.
My statement: pic.twitter.com/MqcBAeGhBu
— Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) January 13, 2021
Crenshaw’s name was soon trending on Twitter where he was raked over the coals for his comments about Cheney.
Your opinion isn’t “truth.” She pushed totally discredited Russian “bounty” story, didn’t lift a finger when her GOP colleagues were exposing the biggest fraud in political history, and is retaliating for Trump’s “truth” on Iraq War. Spare us your lectures.
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) January 13, 2021
Sorry Dan…thought you might be the answer for the future. I was wrong
— Mike (@SF_Nole) January 13, 2021
I wish SNL never mocked you, because then you’d just be some un-known RINO, but unfortunately they made you a star.
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) January 13, 2021
RT if you believe Dan Crenshaw is a traitor and sold out to the deep state.
— Omar Navarro (@RealOmarNavarro) January 14, 2021
Dan Crenshaw may have flashy videos and nice memes, but after yesterday I’m not sure he’s going to be the darling of the base any longer.
— Dean Browning (@DeanBrowningPA) January 14, 2021
You should be primaried.
— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) January 13, 2021
Very disappointing Dan.
— MusclePig (@GuyOther3) January 13, 2021
I had no idea he was just another RINO pic.twitter.com/CPwrdmrx1D
— Johnny G (@JarHeadJohn0811) January 14, 2021
You two deserve each other, we will be supporting whomever primaries you
— Fiery But Mostly Peaceful shades13 (@shades1304) January 13, 2021
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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